Day 58: Getting the Heck Out of the House

It's been nearly 60 days since my first heirloom seeds went into soil, and I'm tickled to see this day. I've mixed potting soil, sowed seeds, watered, done the daily find-the-sun dance, sang the snappy "grow-plant-grow" ditty about a zillion times, plucked out my seedlings, and prepped my beds.

Seedlings toward the end of April, gathered at a south-facing window for Grandma to plant-sit while we're out of town.

The day to put the seedlings in the soil outdoors, under the sun and moon, 24-7, is here. The seedlings have been hardened off, or have spent increasingly more time outdoors to get acclimated to their new environment. In the ground as of this hour are tomatoes, peppers, onions, and lettuce. And I also direct-seeded spinach and carrots today.

Brand new transplants of onions and tomatoes, with their favorite companion flower, the marigold. The twine marks the line where carrot seeds were sowed.

The snap peas are reaching for the sky and beginning to move beyond the trellis in the pot to the larger trellis on the patio. In a few more weeks, if all goes well, we should see blossoms.

Amish Snap Peas, 41 days after sowing seeds.

The Sugar Baby Watermelon plants are happy. Their outdoor beds and climbing structures are almost ready. Another day or two, and they'll be in the ground.

Sugar Baby Watermelon, 41 days after sowing seeds.

Filderkraut Cabbage is good--and I'm happy to report that there is no sign of cabbage moths or worms! The kale is slower, but is coming along nicely. Red Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts still need a few weeks to mature.

Filderkraut Cabbage, 56 days after sowing seeds, crowding each other and ready for transplanting.

Lacinato Kale, 57 days after sowing seeds. Slower growth than expected, but growing just fine.

Lettuce and Parisian Market Carrots (those small, round guys) are in my east-facing window box. I hope they'll get enough sun. I'm temporarily reserving space in my two south-facing window boxes if they don't work well here in the east.

A blend of lettuces in an east-facing window box. Also planted here are Parisian Market Carrot seeds.

Also, I continue to share seedlings. To date, friends and family members have taken about 1/4 of what I've grown. I still have a good amount left that I won't be able to accomodate in my yard--what to do with them? Two more weeks, and most everything will need a home.